1 Week in

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Well, i have finished the first full week of my stay here at Rothera and i am absolutely shattered, with aches on my aches and cramp all over my body. OK, well im not that bad but it sure feels like it sometimes. The reason for this is that we have completed the first floor block and beams on the "New Bransfield House" and the only means for getting these into position is by dropping the 5 meter beams onto the steel with a forklift. After they have been put in we then slide them into position hoping that they will not get stuck. A rough guestimate of the weight of one of these beams would be about 300 kg each, nearly a 3rd of a tonne, or bloody heavy!! The other reason for all my aches may also be due to going snowboarding most nights either on the ramp opposite the base or further around into the island, following Reptile Ridge until you reach a slope named Vals.
The base itself has been very busy this week with various airplanes arriving and then dissapearing taking "beakers" (scientists) out into the field. We also had the pleasure of a Baslar/DC 3 aircraft turn up for a few days to refuel before heading to a Russian base further inland which was full of crazy Canadians. The plane was amazing though and as soon as it landed it reminded me of all those Indiana Jones movies which im sure had these in throughout the movies. The Dash 7 also made it in again after flying half way here from the Flaklands only to turn around due to fog on base. Luckily they made it in on the second attempt the following day. They werent so lucky on the flight out though as they sprung an oil leak on a prop so it is grounded again at the airport in the Falklands. The base Twotters (Twin Otters) have also been really busy, only yesterday flying out to resupply a field party at a place called Fossil Bluff after 60 knot winds actually blew their tent away along with all there supplies in a massive storm.
We have actually had a few really windy days here while on base and as horrible as it is working all day outside with the winds burning at your face, it does have a positive effect. All of the sea ice around the base is beginning to break up and drift away, creating access to the shore for all the local wildlife to come and say hello. There are a load of Weddle seals chilling on ice flows around the base and a few were alongside the shore the other day, farting and whimpering as they do with huge trails of snot hanging from their nose. Also, as we walked down to our work site the other day we were welcomed by 2 Adelie penguins who seemed to be interested in what was going on. However, if i had my pick of anywhere in Antarctica i propably wouldnt choose to sit alongside a huge sewage treatment plant that quite often, stinks.
So, after an amazing Sat night posh meal, which consisted of local Kazakstani dishes, knocked up by our French chef, followed by a complete raping of the station bar which is soon to be wiped out until the ship arrives to restock and another afternoon snowboarding at Vals, we look forward to another week of building. This time we move up a floor and begin to lay all the block and beams above us. Hopefully there will be more tales and photos to have a look at next week. There are also a few of my better phots in the gallery which you may like to see, just click on the yellow gallery tag on the main page.
Until next time............

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Photos

Dash 7
Landing on the runway

Weddell Seal
Chilling on the sea ice near base with mates in the background.

Adelie Penguins
Enjoying the view from the snow next to the treatment plant!

All because....
Milk Tray Man???? Standing at the top of Vals during a snowboarding session.

The Ramp
Skiing and snowboarding on our doorstep. Very nice.

Ski-dooooooo
Our transport to the top of the runs.

Comments

[matt thailand]

u call that work
u call that work ? snowboarding all day and getting payed. take it easy and keep the pic's coming.

[Alex Vafin]

Take me there!! :)
Hi! I`m from Tyumen (Russia). Though we don`t have such a cold weather here, it`s not a surprice to meet -30C at the street. But recently we were deprived of even -10C, having +1 and more these days. Sometimes I think do I really live in West Siberia? :) But U guies, it`s something - skateboarding in antarctika (thums up!). I wounder do U have friends among penguins? :) Is it hard to get a job in Antarctika? Do I have a chance to get it :)?